Monroe w



(No Model.)

M. W. CARROLL. LOGOMOTIVE ENGINE.

10.419,637. Patented .1511.;21, 1890.

lll

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MONROE IV. CARROLL, OF PROVINOAL, LOUISIANA.

LOCOMOTIVE-ENGINE.

SPCIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 419,637, 'dated'January 21, 1890c Application filed November 21, 1889. Serial No.331,054. (N o model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MONROE W. CARROLL', a citizen of the United States,residing at Provincal, Natchitoches parish, State of Louisiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a locomotive-cngine, and more especially to thatclass adapt-ed to be used on temporary tracks; and it has for its objectto provide means whereby the engine can travel on such tracks andaccommodate itself to the variations and unevennesses in the track; andto this end it consists in an engine constructed as more particularlyhereinafter pointed out.

Referring to the accompanying' drawings, Figure 1 is a side View showingenough of an engine of this character to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section ofFig. 2 through one of the axles, and Figs. 4 and 5 are plan andsectional views of a detail connection.

It is well known that in the use of locomotiveengines for agricultural,mining, and similar purposes it is customary to make use of a temporaryor comparatively uneven track, which may be made up of logs or poleshaving more or less variations in themselves, or of other material whichis inexpensive and accessible. In this way not only is a track uneven tosome extent,but the gage between the rails varies more or less andrenders it difcult to keep the engine from becoming derailed. Toovercome this objection is one of the objects of my invention,and to dothis I construct the running-gear of the engine so that the gage of thewheels may vary to suit the variations of the track.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the body or platform of suchan engine, upon which may be mounted a source of power, as a boiler ofany suitable form, connected to and operating engines, also carried onthe frame, which in turn are geared or otherwise connected with the mainor bull shaft B. Any suitable connections may be used between this shaftand the power-supplying engine, and I have not deemed it necessary to.show these, as they form no part of my present invention. This truck orframe A is provided with suitable journal-boxes O, in which are mountedthe axles D, to which are rigidly secured curved or other shaped ilangedwheels E. Each wheel is rigidly attached to its own separate axle, andthis axle is allowed lateral movement in vits respective :journal-box,the amount of motion being readily controlled by a collar or set-nut CZ.The inner ends of the axles are preferably made polygonal shape, and thetwo adjacent axles are connected by a sleeve F, rotating in a centralbox F. This central and the two adjacent outside boxes are shown as madein one piece; but it is evident that they may be separate pieces. Thissleeve F, while free to rotate in its box, allows the adjacent axles .Dto move laterally and insures their rotating in unison, and in this waythe respective crank pins e will maintain their relative angularposition to each other and prevent their being' on a dead-center.

Mounted on the main or bull shaft B are crank-pins G, and these pins areconnected lto connecting-rods H H, extending between the crank-pins onthe shaft and the respective crank-pins on the wheels E. The crank-pinse on the wheels are made of a length corresponding with the lateralmovement or play of the Wheels and their axles in their boxes, so thatunder all conditions the connectingrods may move in a single verticalplane. In order to maintain the connecting-rods in this plane, I makeuse of guide-rods I, -which are shown as pivoted to the frame at e' andprovided at their other ends with bearings sliding in slots h in theconnecting-rods. These guide-rods are bentat suitable angles to maintainthe connecting-rods in the same vertical plane and still allow them tomove freely on their crank-pins. It will thus be seen that, although theWheels may move in or out with respect to the truck independently ofeach other, the crank-rods will always move in the same plane and thecrank-pins on the wheels will slide laterally in bearings in theconnecting-rods in accordance with thelateral movements of therespective Wheels. seen that the connecting-rods are nearest to thesides of the driving-wheels when the wheels are on the widest gage andextended to the extreme limits.

The connecting-rods may be provided with It will be IOOany-ordinarybrasses or bearing-surfaces in contact with the crank-pins;but I have found it advantageous in many instances to use a pivotedbearing, in which J represents a solid cast-steel or other cuff orbearing ittedto slide on the crank-pins and mounted pivotally in anopening in the end of the connecting-rods. These are shown in thedrawings as supported between studs or projections j on one side andadjusting-screws ,7'2 on the other, although it is evident that anyother form of connection may be used. This construction permits any oneof the wheels to drop from the ordinary line of travel on the track toaccommodate itself to any variations therein without causing friction orbinding between the crank-pin and the connecting-shaft, so that thecrank-pin will slide freely through the cuff or bearing under allconditions.

hile I have described what I consider to be the best form of embodyingmy invention, it is evident that the details of constructiony andarrangement may be varied by those skilled in the art without materiallydepart-` ing from the special features of the in vention.V It will thusbe seen that I provide a locomotive-en gine which is capable of beingused on temporary or unevenly-constructed tracks without liability ofderailment, and that the relative position of the crank-pins with rela-vtion to the main or bull crank will always be maintained the same as ifthe adjustingwheels were upon the same rigid axle.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is- 1. The combination,with a truck, of wheels mounted upon independent axles, each axle havingan independent lateral movement in its bearings, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination, with the truck, of wheels mounted upon independentaxles, the. said axles having independent movement in their bearings,the ends of the two adjacent axles being connected and rotatingtogether, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the truck, of Wheels mounted upon independentaxles, the said axles having independent lateral motions in theirbearings, and a sleeve connecting the ends of two adjacent axles andpermitting lateral movements of the axles therein, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination, with the truck, of wheels mounted upon independentaxles, said wheels having independent lateral motions in their bearings,and a sleeve also mounted in the bearings and embracing the polygonalends of two adjacent axles, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the truck, of wheels mounted upon independentaxles, the said axles having independent lateral motions in theirrespective bearings, and collars upon t-he axles fer limiting thelateral movements thereof, the ends of the axles being rectangular,substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the truck having wheels mounted uponindependent axles, the said axles having independent lateral move- .mentin their bearings, of extended crankpins secured 'to said wheels,substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the truck, of a main or bull shaft mountedthereon carrying' crank pins, connecting rods connected to saidcrank-pins, and wheels mounted on axleshaving independent lateral motionin their bearings and provided with extended crank-pins engaging theconnecting-rods, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the truck, of a main or bull shaft havingcrank-pins, connecting-rods mounted on said crank-pins, and guide-barssecured to the truck and sliding in slots in the connecting-bars,substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the truck, of a main or bull shaft havingcrank-pins, connecting-bars mounted thereon, guides for theconnecting-bars to maintain them in the same vertical plane, and wheelsmounted upon independent axles, the said axles having' lateral movementin their bearings, the wheels being provided with elongated crankpinsengaging the connecting-rods, substantially as described.

lO. The combination, with the connectingrods, of cuffs or bearingspivotally mounted in openings in said rods, substantially as described.

ll. The combination, with the truck having wheels mounted uponindependent axles, the said axles having independent lateral motion intheir bearings, the wheels being provided with extended crank-pins, ofconmeeting-'rods having pivotal cuffs engaging said crank-pins,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

,Y MoNRoE w. CARROLL. l

Vit'nesses: l

D. C. ScARBoRoUGH, AHE PNEOHAMME.

IOO

